


Not quite so Simple

by cyndrat



Series: Quintessence Resonance [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Episode: s01e01 The Rise of Voltron, Galaxy Garrison, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Non-Graphic Violence, Original Character(s), Tags May Change, except when the others are talking about Pidge cause they don't know yet, sort of Alteans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 02:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15720522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyndrat/pseuds/cyndrat
Summary: In which a few Garrison staff are sympathetic during the events of the first episode, though not for the reasons the trio would expect. Well, not only.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SO!!  
> reading 'Not her first Choice' (wip) is not at all necessary to read and enjoy this piece, though it may help with understanding/getting to know the OCs because I am not really planning to give them a ton of backstory stuff in this.  
> ALSO this is unedited aside from the rereading and slight alterations I make as part of my writing process, mostly because I just wanted to pound the alternate ideas out without stressing as much as NhfC about the grammar/canon-compliance/smoothness of the writing. So it may not be as nice of a read, you have been warned.  
> No idea how much of the story this is really going to cover, other than bits and pieces of S1E1. Beyond that point, it'll be as inspiration strikes.  
> CLARENCE MINOLA is an instructor and general counselor at the Garrison  
> ESCALUS MOWBRAY is head of the libraries and IT staff at the Garrison

"You know Mister McClain," I say as I walk past a suspicious looking garbage receptacle, its fellow recycling bin close beside it, "cadets only get in trouble for unsanctioned outings. As soon as a staff member accompanies them, there are usually no repercussions to be wary of." I smile as I continue down the corridor, slowing my step as I hear urgent whispering from the direction of the bins.

A moment later, there's some soft - then not so soft - clunks behind me, and a set of footsteps. Garrett groans, but his footsteps join in, sounding bigger and just a little off from McClain's.

"So where were you two headed?" I lower my voice, in case any of the patrolling officers are within earshot. I haven't actually logged an outing with any cadets, let alone these two after their disastrous sim attempt this afternoon, but it's unlikely that the typical patrollers would know that.

There's half a beat of weighty silence as if the two are having a conversation via facial expression, but then McClain draws breath to speak. "Team bonding," he says. "We were gonna find P-" They both freeze, one slim hand snaking out to grab my sleeve and tug me back. I turn easily, taking a few steps to be out of the intersection of corridors, and I hear a door whirring open accompanied by a muted jangling sound. McClain's eyebrows are furrowed as he peeks around the corner. "Where's he going?"

My eyes meet Garrett's momentarily, and I can tell that although the bigger boy is nervous about the 'outing' he is also curious.

"Your communications teammate?" I ask, guessing. McClain creeps forward around the corner, his actions incredibly overdramatic. I roll my eyes at the antics. We've talked about stuff like this.

Garrett lands a hand on my shoulder. "Yeah, I'd apologize for him but uh, he's not sorry."

"Oh, I know," I murmur, offering him a brief smile. I slide my hands into my pockets as we follow McClain, my fingers brushing over Escalus' communicator unit. It's cool, no urgent heat spot. We haven't talked in a few weeks, not really talked about anything of importance. She's been spending a lot of time in the library, even when it's not her shift, or on the computers at home, but I can't think of what project might have claimed her attention this time.

McClain is peeking through the window of an access door when we catch up to him. He whips his head around, guilt painting his face, but it clears when he sees that it is us. "Pidge is being SUPER duper suspicious," McClain says in a conspiratorial tone, leaning in and snagging Garrett's shoulder to draw him in to a huddle. "He just went outside. On the roof!"

I puff out a sigh, shaking my head. "Seriously Lance? Everything you've told me about your teammates, and this is what you choose to label suspicious?" He shrinks for just a second before shrugging with his whole body.

"I don't know man- ma'am, everything about Pidge is suspicious, this is just like... super suspicious." He seems earnest, so I resist picking at his word choice again. We're not in a session, and I'm off shift. He's entitled to his fun. "Aaanyways, he just went out on the roof? And now he's just sitting out on the far edge. I say, we go grill 'im."

Garrett shrugs as he opens his mouth, but McClain takes the shrug as answer and runs with it - or rather, spins around to pull at the door. It doesn't budge. I step forwards, slipping my staff card off from the edge of my pocket where it's clipped. With a pointed glance at McClain, I wave the card in front of the access pad and gently tug the door open. We pile out onto the roof, and Gunderson doesn't move. It looks like they're wearing headphones or a headset.

"Go ahead, I'm going to hang back a little bit so you can discuss whatever you want. Don't worry, I've got plenty of my own stuff to focus on." McClain frowns, glancing between me and Gunderson, so I reach out and grab hold of his shoulder, turning him in the direction of his teammate and pushing him into motion. "Get moving!"

He half stumbles, but catches his stride soon enough. He gestures Garrett onwards then shoves his hands into his jeans pockets, shoulders slouching forwards a touch. Rebellion, in one of its most harmless forms. I shake my head with a smile. I'm not interested in correcting his stance, not right now.

I continue walking until I get about halfway between the door and Gunderson's position, then stop. Raising my arm a little, I push back my sleeve far enough to tab my wrist computer on. The holodisplay takes a moment to pop up, so I take that moment to check how well I can hear the cadets. McClain's voice is easy, his tone almost musical as it rises and drops within each statement he makes. His Spanish upbringing still shows through in that characteristic more than any others.

Gunderson is loud enough for me to make out most of their words - especially when they reprimand Garrett for trying to touch whatever technology they've lugged up here. Garrett himself doesn't seem to be saying much, so picking up his voice is irrelevant.

The display is up, and the static has cleared. I connect in to our home computer array, skimming over what Escalus has been working on. She's pulled up various calendars several times today alone, like she's looking for something or trying to verify a date.

I stop fiddling with my wrist computer when I hear Gunderson mention alien radio chatter and start paying more attention, but it isn't until they mention 'Voltron' that I spin to look at the trio, pulling the comm unit from my pocket. I think... I think I know why my friend was checking through our calendars. "Escalus," I say breathlessly, knowing from the green light on the unit that my friend is already listening. "You said it would be today, right? That- that date from the cave." She sucks in a breath, and I start striding towards the trio. "Get the go bags, put the expansion on the bike and meet us on the east side of the compound." I ignore her _'us?'_ as I approach the cadets. "We should-" I start, but I'm cut off by the alarm and ensuing orders for students to stay in the barracks.

The trio are still, staring across the desert, then Garrett turns and points to where something is falling through the atmosphere. They all burst into exclamation, nearly talking over each other as Gunderson whips out a pair of binoculars. McClain grabs them over Gunderson's hands, lifting both the binoculars and his teammate.

"That's not one of ours," he says, sounding excited.

"So, wait-" Garrett is clearly getting agitated, and his next words show that fear has overtaken his previous curiosity. "There really are aliens out there?!"

"We've got to see that ship," Gunderson declares as they start shoving their tech back into their massive backpack. They stand and spin about, ready to bolt back to the doors at McClain's side, but they freeze when they see me. "Uhh..."

McClain glances over his shoulder, towards where the ship crashed. "Are you gonna escort us to our rooms?" he asks, his tone defensive enough that I know that's what he expects of me.

My smile grows as I shake my head, quickly sweeping my gaze over all three of them. Gunderson is daring to hope for an unhindered excursion to the crash site, Garrett is fretting over the people he chooses to spend his time with, and McClain is nearly bouncing in place, excitement running through his body. "Don't you want an experienced staff member along on this... extension of your team bonding event?"

McClain whoops quietly, running past me to the door with Gunderson at his side. "Hunk, come on!" he urges.

Garrett looks ready to drop to his knees in despair. "Worst team bonding exercise ever," he moans, but starts moving anyways.

I clap a hand to his shoulder, grinning at him. "Well, at least you've got an adult this time, right?" He turns his head to look at me while we walk at a quick but comfortable pace while the other two are stuck by the door, waiting for my access card. I'm not certain what he sees in my eyes, but he doesn't groan and complain any more, so I must be reassuring enough.

I don't know what we're going to find at the crash site, and I know that Escalus and I have prepared sufficiently for a variety of possibilities, but I can't help but wonder if we'll really be ready for what we find. Unlikely. Either way, it is sure to be an adventure.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lil bit of a time skip! because I didn't feel like writing the in-between bits, and the show skipped a chunk of time here too

A series of explosions interrupt our conversation, and Escalus and I look back to our cadets as one. They're all crouched on the ledge, tension painting the lines of their bodies. Moments later, they appear to come to something resembling agreement and then they're jumping over the edge.

I whip my gaze to Escalus and spin my finger in a circle. She nods and turns, running towards the bike. I sprint up the rocky path to where the cadets had been watching from, and I see the way they would have slid down to the desert floor. Scanning the rocks, I can't see another good path down, and I sigh. I had changed into my best boots when Escalus found us with the bike, but I was hoping I wouldn't need to use any more tech that I logically should not have for a few hours longer at least. I take a step back and leap, much like the cadets had done, but unlike them, I click my heels. The boosters turn on seconds before I hit the rocks, and I use them to bounce my way down.

The cadets have already taken off running. I bite back a sigh. I console myself about their decision making skills because they're young still, none of them legally adults. We don't know exactly how many Garrison staff remain within the tents, regardless of the fact that the officers outside the tents have all hurried off to investigate the explosions. Neither do we know how long it'll take for the officers to return. And while the kids saw something that prompted them into motion, I don't know what's actually in the biggest tent, although my best guess is that it is constructed around the crash site. I sigh and race after the cadets, shaking my head briefly when I watch them disappear into the entry tunnel of the quarantine tent.

There are sounds of equipment crashing, muffled by the tent, and I faintly hear McClain exclaiming something. I reach the mouth of the quarantine tunnel a second or two later and slow my speed. Sounds of an argument filter back to me, and I stalk forwards, gently nudging Gunderson aside because they're idling in the middle of the tunnel with Garrett. "No time for arguing boys, let's get moving," I growl, noting suited up med techs splayed about the room in varying stages of unconsciousness. McClain falls silent, the other boy - Kogane, I remember when Iverson screamed for him to get out months ago - going quiet a moment after. I turn on one heel and start walking, four sets of footsteps hurrying after me. I want to offer to carry the Kerberos pilot myself, but... I don't need to raise any suspicions right now. I raise my comm unit to my mouth, simply saying, "Escalus."

 _"Outside, by the other kid's hoverbike. You guys better hurry it up."_ She's calm, unpanicked, though it sounds like the officers might be on their way back.

"Got it." I clip the communicator into a pocket and turn far enough to see the cadets in the corner of my eye. "Let's get moving, we need to get him away from this temp base. They've turned back." Garrett fairly squeaks and his footsteps speed up until he's almost drawing even with me, just as I reach the mouth of the tunnel.

"Oh man," he says, anxiety at the sound of truck engines and officers approaching running his words quickly, "they do not look happy! Uh, can we-"

"Kogane," I say, cutting Garrett off. "How big's your bike?"

 _"Set up to handle one other, maybe two."_ Escalus is definitely comparing his bike to ours, and I suspect they come out pretty equal in her eyes. _"This might be tight."_

"Not big enough for this," he grumbles in reply, not hearing Escalus' words wafting through the communicator.

Yeah, none of us are prepared for how this night has gone. "We'll make it work," I snap, leading a dash towards where I see Escalus and our bike, evidently having stopped where she is to point the way for us. The Garrison officers are coming into view, the brights of their trucks throwing the desert and the quarantine tent into a series of weird highlights. "McClain, you stay with Shirogane and Kogane." I ignore McClain's groan. He'll just have to put aside his rivalry for now. "Gunderson, Garrett, with me and Escalus again. Kogane, do you have a place?"

He grumbles again, but shrugs as well as he can with a pilot half draped over him. "Okay fine, yes I got a place. I guess you're all invading my house?"

"Thanks for the invite, but we don't need-" McClain says, prepared to snub Kogane, but I whip my hand out in a horizontal line and he quiets immediately.

Gunderson and Garrett split towards Escalus while I stick with the other boys for a few more steps. "Go, we'll follow your lead." I unhook my communicator and shove it into McClain's jacket pocket, praying the clip caught properly. "I'll call you if I need to." With that, I spin very neatly, considering the speed we were going, and sprint back to our bike, seeing that my friend and our cadets are already settled. "Let's fly Mowbray!"

Escalus pushes off at the signal, the bike turning at a comfortable speed. Well, I call it comfortable. Gunderson and Garrett are kicking up a vocal fuss, twisting in their seats to watch me run towards them. My lips twist in a smirk and I move faster, thinking momentarily about the distance and height of the bike. This'll be like one of the easier catch-ups we've practiced. Escalus idles in place a moment before moving forwards again, and that moment is long enough for me to pump my legs to come alongside the bike and reach. I grasp the pole set midway along the bike's base body - originally intended for some sort of ride cover that we never used - and pull myself forward and up, settling my boots hard onto the floorboards. The bike dips a little with the addition of my weight, but the nose corrects in no time at all.

My friend speeds up, reaching back one hand to pat my knee in an order for me to get seated correctly. I roll my eyes at the back of her head and shift out of my crouch to sit proper, then scooch closer to her. I wait a few metres to see her reflection in the windguard, verifying that her communicator is clipped to the crossover flap of her jacket. I set my hand on Escalus' shoulder, then creep it down slowly until my fingers bump into the comm unit. One quick flick loosens the clasp and then I'm drawing my hand back to me, communicator cradled carefully. I pat her back and she revs the engine in response. I would wince at her treatment of the bike, but she's been doing so well aside from just now.

I look around my friend, ignoring the Garrison trucks in pursuit behind us, and focusing instead on the other bike. Kogane is weaving admirably, McClain clutching Shirogane and letting out the odd screech. If I had to put word to the line of Kogane's body, I'd say reckless joy, especially as he sweeps his bike sideways a little, taking what would be considered a ramp if there were proper roads out here. He twists to glance over his shoulder, then straightens and leans forwards in his seat.

 _"Uh, is that a cliff?"_ McClain shouts, the sound carrying just as well through the comm unit as it is through the air. I can't hear Kogane's response, but he shifts gears while McClain shrieks. The red bike rises, then tips, disappearing over the ledge.

Escalus hesitates. I huff a sigh and smack her right shoulder in our signal for 'go'. A groan rumbles through her body but she drives forward in acquiescence.

"Oh no no no," Garrett screams, Gunderson joining in with a shrill sound as we follow Kogane's bike over the cliff's edge. Escalus jabs at the air button and our bike shifts, straight bars sliding out to connect together, slatted wings forming and turning perpendicular to the body of the bike to catch enough air to slow our fall.

The air whips the ends of my scarf about and I grab it with one hand, pinning the fabric to my chest, my other hand clutching the communicator. Escalus' hair is cut just long enough to be pulled back in a ponytail, and so it is, meaning that the only bits of hair flying into my face are my own. We hit an air current that bumps the bike and the cadets yell, but there's a grin on my face and laughter bubbling up in my chest. I let it out after trying to contain it for just a moment, and shout happily.

We level out above the desert floor a second later, and I twist to look backwards for Garrison followers. There's one truck settled sideways at the top of the cliff, headlights illuminating the nearby rocks.

Well. Luckily, Escalus and I have discussed this sort of thing before. We've thrown our lot in with these cadets and Captain Shirogane now, the Garrison be damned. If it hasn't already happened, I'm sure our faces will be on a list before dawn comes, with either a Missing note or orders to bring us in.

It doesn't hurt nearly as much as I've feared to think about that. As we speed through the desert, it feels like we're on the verge of something bigger, something more important than the Galaxy Garrison.

A crossroads. And I don't regret the choice we've made.


End file.
